Funworld January 2012

IAAPA Honors Four Pioneering Hall of Fame Inductees

During Expo's lively Kickoff Event at The Peabody Orlando, the industry came together to pay tribute to John P. C. Collins, Fred W. Pearce, Sr., and performance duo Wally Boag and Betty Taylor, who were inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame.

"IAAPA is both happy and honored to induct John Collins, Frederick Pearce, and Wally Boag and Betty Taylor into the Hall of Fame for their amazing leadership, vision, and talent. This year's Hall of Fame inductees are innovators, entrepreneurs, and performers whose work has greatly shaped the attractions industry in positive ways," said Tim O'Brien, 2011 chairman of the IAAPA Hall of Fame and Archives Committee and vice president of communications at Ripley Entertainment.

John Collins of John Collins Leisure is an internationally respected icon and attractions industry leader with 30 years of experience. His first job in the industry as a young man was assisting his father, a well-known traveling showman. From there, he purchased a small amusement park with his brother, then went on to develop Barry Island Pleasure Park into one of Wales' top attractions. Collins went on to join Tussauds Group after Barry Island was sold, and there he helmed the development of several well-known attractions, such as Port Aventura in Spain and Chessington World of Adventures in the United Kingdom.

His dedication and vast knowledge of the industry—bolstered by his reputation for being honest, loyal, professional, and conscientious—has made him instrumental in creating health and safety groups in Britain that would play an important role in maintaining high standards of safety in today's industry.

Collins served 22 years as a committee member on the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers, and Attractions (BALPPA) and has twice held the position of chairman. He also served as chairman of IAAPA in 2003.

"I'm very emotional and I just want to thank so many people who gave me the full strength to stand here today," Collins said Tuesday during the induction ceremony. "I have two families in my life—my own family, Sherry and Michael, and my grandkids, and thousands and thousands in my IAAPA family—people over the years who have really helped me. I went to my first show in 1966 in Chicago. I walked in green, and a little bit hesitant and frightened, and people were so kind and so decent to me. To all of the young people, keep doing it, keep coming, because the rewards will be fantastic. Thank you."

Fred Pearce (nicknamed "King of the Roller Coaster") of F.W. Pearce Company, who is honored posthumously, almost single-handedly invented the giant wooden coaster and erected more than 27 roller coasters during his 50 years in the attractions industry. A founder of IAAPA and president of the association in 1928, he is known with being the first to use pressure-treated creosoted lumber for coasters to protect them from damage over time. He also had a keen understanding of speed and the direction of coasters that helped amplify the thrilling feeling that excites coaster-lovers today.

In 1925, he built the Excelsior Amusement Park and also had an interest in or owned parks in Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Texas. Fred Pearce passed away Aug. 9, 1958, at the age of 73.

Wally Boag and Betty Taylor of Disneyland, honored posthumously, are known for show-stopping entertainment. As Pecos Bill in "Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue" starting in 1955, Wally Boag thrilled audiences for 27 years by blasting them with squirt guns, spitting out a mouthful of "teeth," and sculpting whimsical animals from balloons. His acting chops also landed him television appearances on "The Mickey Mouse Club," "Disneyland," and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," and movies such as "The Absent Minded Professor," "Son of Flubber," and "The Love Bug."

Betty Taylor started her career at 12, when she was in a stage production in Vancouver, British Columbia. Disney brought her to Disneyland in 1956 to play the vivacious Sluefoot Sue, Pecos Bill's sweetheart in the "Golden Horseshoe Revue." For 31 years, she led a popular Western dance hall troupe, entertaining nearly 10 million guests and appeared with Wally Boag in more than 40,000 performances.

Taylor and Boag set the standard for theatrical style and flair that entertainers continue to draw from today. Their talent gave audiences a unique experience with every performance. In 1995, "The Guinness Book of World Records" listed "Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue" as the longest-running stage production in show business history. Boag and Taylor passed away within one day of each other on June 3 and June 4 of this year at age 90 and 91, respectively.